Wall display fixture



Oct; 2l, 1952 D,I| MAPSON 2,614,701

WALL DISPLAY FIXTURE Filed March 15, 1948 @GOGO INVENTOR.

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Patented ct. 21, 1952 UNITED 'STATES P'rsNT oFFLIcE y y 2,614,701 y WALL DISPLAY FIXTURE Donald L. Mapson, Los Angeles, Calif. Application March 15, 1948, Serial No. 14,851

This invention relates tothe displayv of mere chandi'se, and more particular-ly to apparatus for displaying merchandise on a "wall or other vertical surface.

Retail stores have increased the volume of sales by displaying merchandise openly where customers can see and handle the items being displayed. The general practice is to display such merchandise on tables or counters, using as many tables as possible in order to provide maximum display area. Y

A more recent trend, particularly in hardware and automotive supply stores, is'to utilize wall areas for displaying articles which can be supported on braclets and hooks extending :from the wall. The use of wall areasI in this manner greatly increases the eiective display area in a store of a given sizje With a proportionate increase in sales.Y p

Prior to'the present invention, wall display panels have been constructed `1by mounting a plywood board over thewall area to be used for displaying merchandise. Theplywood isusually varnished or painted in orderlto provide an attractive background for the merchandise. Hangers are then screwed to the plywood for supporting the articles being displayed.

The conventional hanger comprises a flat metal base having a rod three to eight inches long fixed to and extending perpendicularly from the base portion. Holes are provided in the base to receive wood screws used to secure the hanger to the Wall panel.

'Ihe setting-up of a wall panel of this type requires considerable time and labor. First, the merchandise to be displayed on the wall panel is usually laid out on a horizontal surface of a size equal to that of the wall panel. After all the articles are properly and attractively arranged on the horizontal surface, the location of each hanger on the Wall display area can then be determined. The hangers are then screwed on to the wall panel at the required locations as determined by the layout on thehorizontal surface.

It is not uncommon to employ as many as one hundred hangers on a wall panel having an area of about twenty square feet. As each hanger usually requires three wood screws, the mounting of the hangers is a tedious job.

After completion, the conventional wall display is diicult to change. When the location of a hanger is changed,l the old screw holes are unsightly and are diiiicult to ll without leaving blemishes on the panel.

It is also desirable to price each article to be i'olaim. (o1. 211,-,8'7)

displayed on the wall panel. This is often accomplished by tacking a metal price-tag holder on the wall area near the hanger or applying a sticker on the panel indicating the price of the item on the adjacent hanger. The mountingof the price-tag holders or stickers adds to the time and labor required to complete the wall display.

An object ofvmy invention is the provision of a wall display kfixture in which the merchandisesupporting hangers and price-tagY holders are easily and quickly mounted and readily adjustable.

A further object of my invention is'th'e provision of a wall display fixture in which the pricetag yholders are self-aligning in relation to the hangers. y y

Another object of myv invention is to provide a wall panel display fixture which can readily be changed to accommodate diierent merchandise thereby enabling a store-keeper to easily and quickly'change the display to seasonal merchandise or slow-moving items.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent in the following description taken in connection with'the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a preferred form of wall display xture of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. l. n

Referring specically to the drawings, the Wall display xture of my invention includes a perforated metal panel I having square perforations 2 equally spaced horizontally and vertically over the entire face of the panel. Flanges 3 are bent rearwardly on all four sides of the panel I and screws 4 secure the panel to the wall 5.

As seen in Fig. 1, the distance from the outermost edges of the panel I to the center lines of the outermost rows of perforations is equal to one-half the distance between the rows of perforations. Therefore, when two or more of the panels l are placed side by side, as seen in Fig. 1, the distance between the perforations at the adjacent edges of the two panels is equal to the spacing of all of the outer perforations. A large wall area can, therefore, be covered with a number of the panels I placed against each other to obtain a uniform pattern of equally spaced perforations throughout the entire surface of the Wall area.

Adjustably mounted on the panel l is a hanger l0 comprising a base H and rod l2 welded or otherwise secured to the base Il. A pair of feet I3 extend from the upper edge of the base II and are offset so as to pass through a pair of the perforations 2 and contact the under side of the panel I. The feet serve to align the hanger I in relation to the panel I and to lock the hanger to the panel I. The hanger is mounted on the panel I by rst inserting the feet I3 through any selected pair of the perforations 2 and then swinging the hanger downward until the base II rests against the panel I.

Removably mounted on the panel I above the hanger I0 is a price-tag holder I4. The holder I4 comprises a rectangular body I5 having opposed lips |6 of conventional design for holding a price tag (not shown) in a well-known manner. Struck from the body I of the tag vholder I4 is a pair of tongues II which are inserted through a pair of the perforations 2 of the panel I thereby supporting the tag holder invertical alignment with the hanger I0. The tag holder I4 is aligned horizontally with the panel I and aligned vertically in relation to 'the hanger IIJ without the exercise of any particular' care on the part of the operator except for the selection of the proper perforations.

The hanger l0, price-tag holder I4, and perforations 2 are shown in approximately full size in the drawing while, `for the purpose of illustration, the size of the panel I is smaller than those generally used. In practice, the panelsmay be made in widths of ten to fourteen inches and in lengths of twenty-four to forty-eight inches. ,A number of such panels may be placed side-byside and end-to-end tocover as large awall area as desired with a. large number of the hangers and tag holders being used to display and price many articles of merchandise.

It is readily seen that by means of the present invention, an attractive wall dispaly may be set up easily and quickly and tlrat changes in the locations of the hangers and price tag holders may be readily accomplished.

I claim as my invention:

In a wall display xture, the combination of: two sheets of rectangular outline having parallel rows of perforations formed therein which are also parallel with the opposite side edges of said sheets, the centers of said rows and the perforations therein being both uniformly spaced a given distance, the perforations of the outer rows of each sheet having their centers spaced from the adjacent side edges respectively of said sheet, a distance equal to` one-half said given distance, said two sheets, when in use, being juxtaposed with adjacent side edges abutting, the center to center distance between the outermost rows of perforations of said two sheets adjacent the abutting edges of said sheets being thus equal to said given distance; a bracket adapted to support and display an article in a selected location within the area of said two ,sheets thus combined; and a pair of feet formed on saidfbracket, with the centers of said feet horizontally spaced apart a distance equal to said given distance multiplied by a whole number, said feet being adapted to support said bracket when inserted into correspondingperforations of different Vertical rows of thefsame, which rows are spaced apart the same Idistance as said feet and located anywhere in said area.

DONALD L. MAPSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references arev of record in .the file of this patent: i

UNITED vSTATES PATENTS 

